The SIS boss was speaking recently at the service training school at Banjulinding during a visit by the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) of Nigeria.
Officials say the visit was the first of its kind.
They added that the service has not only reformed, but working tirelessly in achieving its national mandate and also strengthening its ties both within the continent and globally.
The visiting 26 member delegation includes the commander of NISS, faculty members and students of the institute that includes a student of the SIS who is currently studying at the institution. The theme for their visit is Global Climate Change: ‘Prospects for Economic Development and Conflict Resolution.’
Climate change, Sowe added, is an extreme situation and is posing an extreme challenge on lives and livelihoods, adding that “we are now moving from state focus security to human security.”
“Climate change and its impact and effects are indeed causing huge challenges to our lives and livelihoods. Therefore, if the reference points are now human security, what better topic to discuss now than climate change and its implications which affect our lives and livelihoods.”
He thanked the commander of NISS for his leadership in regional and continental integration and therefore, the role security institutions like the NISS, SIS have to play.
“I think if anyone has doubted this collaboration, this gathering is indeed a testimony that the collaboration we committed ourselves is for all of us,” he added, saying: “The country is also doing its best in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate change is not there, but it’s also here with us.”
“Therefore, for us as security, what we do is always a priority for us. Every intelligence service today must look at sustainable development which is catering for the present without compromising the future; hence your coming to the country is important because we are also challenged with climate change.”
Collaboration with GPU
Given the fact that security is everyone’s business, the country’s spy chief said as part of his institutional reform agenda, the service will also collaborate with The Gambia Press Union (GPU) with a view to organising security awareness for the media.
Mamat O. Cham, deputy chief of Defense Staff of The Gambia Armed Forces, spoke on the cordial working relationship between The Gambia and Nigeria, adding that climate change continues to pose a threat to the world and the country is not an exception.
The security sector reform processes, he said, is currently ongoing, and most of the security institutions in the country have developed policies and programmes that are in-line with the SSR processes.
The commander of NISS, A.S. Adeleke, FSI MNI, spoke at length on the importance of their visit, claiming that climate change is confronting all of us.
“Therefore, if we don’t act now, it will have a negative impact on our lives and livelihoods and our future generation of our Africa continent. We are happy that we are collaborating with SIS Gambia and we will continue to collaborate with them. The existing relationship will continue to be stronger for the benefits of both institutions.”
